


Missed Opportunites

by fesbian_leminist



Series: Walking a Bloody Path [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Momentary Hubert von Vestra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27716240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fesbian_leminist/pseuds/fesbian_leminist
Summary: Dorothea comes close to death, and Edelgard comes to a realisation.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Edelgard von Hresvelg
Series: Walking a Bloody Path [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2027210
Kudos: 44





	Missed Opportunites

Dorothea was in pain when she woke. That wasn't an abnormal thing these days. Her body regularly ached, either from simple exertion or the various bruises and cuts she picked up fighting and training. Waking up in the infirmary was a strange one, though. Things weren't ever normally that bad. Waking up with Edelgard slumped across her the thighs was definitely a first, so long as she wasn't counting her dreams.

She winced as she sat up, gripping her side as Edelgard stirred. She reached forward, stroking her head and grinning as she watched her stretch her arms and rise with a yawn. She remembered a soldier breaking through the ranks next to her, too late for her to react. Remembered the axe biting into her stomach. Everything else was blank, though. Everything but a few vague flashes of Mercedes comforting her. Manuela telling her she'd be alright.

“You look good draped over me like that. I think you should do it more.” Edelgard kept stretching, sighing and glancing at her with a raised brow. Dorothea bit her lip, cheeks flushing a little as she watched her arms bulge and her hair cascade down over her chest. She was wearing some old cloth vest. Must have been training before she came here. Beautiful as the dress was, it was always a treat when she wore anything that showed off those arms.

“I'm impressed. You almost died. Can't imagine there's many who'd be back to flirting so soon after that.” Dorothea felt her blood chill a little, forcing herself to keep smiling as she watched Edelgard sat back in her chair. Almost dead. She'd figured it had to be bad for her to wake up here. That still a lot worse than she'd hoped.

“How close, exactly? Don't think I need details, but...” She trailed off, reaching down to lift her shirt as Edelgard frowned. A lot of bandages round her stomach. She wondered how big a scar this would leave.

“Mercedes saved you. Stopped the bleeding. Did enough for us to get you back here and hand you off to Maneula.” Dorothea nodded, touching her side and wincing again. Still sore. Probably would be for a while yet. “You've had a fever the past few days. This is the first time you've woken up and been coherent. I'm grateful that I'm here for it.”

“I'm glad. Would hate to disappoint you by still being delirious.” She watched Edelgard nod, still frowning as she looked down at the ground. Watched her hands gripping her knees tight as one of them bounced. Wondered what was worrying her so much. “Something on your mind, El? You know I'm always happy to listen. Better to get it off your chest before you wrinkle up your pretty face with all those worries.”

“Do you remember the ball, all those years ago? When you caught me about to head up into the Goddess Tower and warned me off? Told me the professor was already in there with Mercedes?” Dorothea nodded, looking back at her own legs and sighing. She'd been hoping to see Byleth there. Had sent her a letter and felt so excited when she'd seen her leaving the main hall. Had spent so long being quiet at the bottom of the stairs, watching her dance with Mercedes. Watching the two of them holding each other so close, wishing it had been her instead. “I'm glad you were there. Glad you stopped me from walking in on them. It would have been quite painful, I think. And… I'm glad I got to spend time with you that night, too.”

“Yeah. I remember. You seemed upset when I told you. Felt good to cheer you up a bit after that.” She turned to Edelgard, smiling a little as she saw her nod. As she saw a little blush rising to her cheeks. She always looked so pretty when she was blushing. “I know I wasn't the person you'd been hoping to see that night. I am glad we got to dance, though. Just the two of us. Felt special, having the future empress all to myself for a while.” She remembered her heart pounding when she'd felt Edelgard's hand on her hip. When she'd looked down at her and finally seen a smile on her face. It was always wonderful when she smiled like that. When it felt like she wasn't holding anything back.

“I felt special too. You've got your choice of suitors, and I know I wasn't the one you were looking for that night either.” Edelgard turned to her, her smile gone and the blush disappearing, just as she felt her own face start to heat up. She'd seen her looking determined before. Had seen how intense she could be. Just hadn't felt it so clearly directed at herself till now. “The professor was actually what I wanted to talk about. Her and you.”

“Oh. Well, go on. No need to keep a girl in suspense.” Edelgard nodded, and Dorothea watched her stand and turn away from her. Watched her start pacing the room with her hands clasped behind her back.

“I'd wanted to talk to her that night. Wanted to meet her alone in the Goddess Tower. My parents met there, and even if I didn't believe in the superstition around it… Well, it still felt like it could be a good omen.” Dorothea watched her stop by a window and stare out of it, hands gripping the sill. Felt her heart ache a little as she saw her start to frown. “I thought I'd have a chance to talk to her later. To tell her what at least some part of what I felt, if I could summon the courage. Then her father was killed. Then...” Dorothea watched a tear run down her cheek, watched her sigh as she wiped it away.

“It's alright. You don't have to say anything if it's too much. I understand. I miss her too.” Edelgard shook her head, pushing herself away from the window and turning back to face her. Another tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away, not looking away from her for a moment.

“I couldn't speak to her. Not after she'd changed. Not after I saw how close she was becoming with Rhea. Not with the path I was on. Easier to push those thoughts from my mind than admit them to someone I was about to lose.” She took a step forward, and Dorothea looked down, trying no to think too much about Byleth. About the way it always felt like she could see the real her. About how wonderful and terrifying it was that she cared for her anyway. “She turned her back on the Church. She chose me. You all chose me, and I don't know that I'd ever felt more hopeful. I knew I wouldn't lose myself with her around. That I wouldn't have to be alone. Thought that there'd be time to share what I felt for her. And then...”

“El...” She remembered Byleth charging ahead of them towards Rhea. Remembered that colossal dragon appearing and bringing down the monastery. Remembered that final glimpse of Byleth before the stone fell around her. They'd won, and for a little while it felt like it had all been for nothing. “We both lost her that day. We both left things unsaid. I know how much it hurts, El. I promise.” She'd spent a lot of time alone with Edelgard. A lot of time comforting her when yet another search had come back with nothing. She'd wished she could do something more to help her. That she could have done something that could make her happy again, like she had been when they'd danced. When Byleth had faced down Rhea by her side.

“I don't feel so sad about her when I'm with you. I look at you and see you smile and listen to your voice and I feel hopeful. I feel like I won't lose myself walking down this path so long as I have you with me.” She finally lifted her head, cheeks flushing as she met Edelgard's gaze again. As she her smiling. “I was relieved when you told me you'd stopped caring so much about your suitors. Was glad that I'd be able to keep you around me longer. I truly meant it when I said that no story about me would be complete without you by my side.”

“What are you trying to say?” Dorothea felt her heart start pounding as Edelgard took another step forward, as her blush continued to deepen. She'd dreamt of this. Dreamt of this so many of it so many times since Edelgard had said those words. She'd never believed it could happen, though. Never believed she'd actually see her as anything more than a friend.

“When I saw you laying on the ground with Mercedes doing all she could to save you, I thought I'd made that same mistake again. That I'd never find out if you'd actually been serious with your flirtations. That I'd spent so long being afraid of my feelings being mine alone that I'd missed out on the chance to share them.” Dorothea stared up at her, face burning as Edelgard finally met her gaze again, smile spread wide across her face. She was beautiful. So wonderfully beautiful. “You're gorgeous and intelligent and brave and I don't know what I'd do without you. I don't need you to feel the same things for me, and so long as you're my friend I can be happy, but I… Can I kiss you?” The last part was barely loud enough for her to hear, and Dorothea grinned as Edelgard started to glow.

“Of course.” Dorothea held her hand out, squeezing Edelgard's when she nervously grabbed it and gently pulling her towards the bed. “I never thought you'd actually feel this way about me. Never dared to think that you could ever really want someone like me.” Edelgard stared down at her, and Dorothea's heart started pounding as she leaned back against the pillows. As she felt her hand being pushed down into them above her head. “I love you, El. I think I have for a while. Just always been too scared to admit it.”

“I love you too, Dorothea.” She started leaning down towards her, and Dorothea closed her eyes, trying not to gasp as she felt Edelgard's other hand brushing hair away from her face. As she felt their lips finally touch.

Kissing had never felt like this before. It had almost always been perfunctory, been a chore to get through. Even when it had been nice, it had never been more than that. This wasn't nice. Her body was on fire and her heart felt was going to burst. She slipped a hand through Edelgard's hair and pulled her in harder, felt her gasp as she flicked her tongue across her lips. Felt herself shudder as Edelgard's brushed across her own, as her hair fell down around her face. She smelled like sweat and dirt and Dorothea wanted to touch her. Wanted to pull her close and feel her body against hers and rip her clothes off and...

“Wow.” She opened her eyes as she felt Edelgard pull away silently, face burning as she panted for air and stared up at her. She gently cupped her face, grinning as she felt how warm she was. As she felt a bit of sweat clinging to her cheek. “You were really getting into that. That was... That was incredible.” Edelgard bit her lip and glanced away, looking like she was about to say something when she froze. Dorothea followed her gaze to the door, stomach dropping when she saw Hubert holding it open, the slightest hint of a grin on his face.

“I apologise for interrupting. I just wanted to make sure that you had not forgotten our meeting this morning, Lady Edelgard. However, as you're clearly busy, I'll have it pushed back an hour.” She saw Edelgard give a little nod from the corner of her eye, and felt her face burn as Hubert met her gaze and smirked. “I'm glad to see that you're feeling better, Dorothea. I do hope that you have a pleasant day.”

“You too.” He nodded at her and left, and she was sure she could hear some dark chuckling from the hall as the door closed behind him. She slowly turned back to Edelgard, grinning a little as she saw her still staring at the door, mouth hanging open a little. “Well, aside from that, I'd say it was a pretty good first kiss. Don't you think?” Edelgard groaned, and Dorothea giggled as she looked down at her with a smile.

“It was. One of my best, I'd say.” Dorothea bit her lip as she felt Edelgard's thumb running across her face and barely slipping by her mouth. “I'm glad you're recovering, but I wish it could go quicker. It would be nice to… You know.”

“So eager. You really know how to flatter a lady, don't you?” Edelgard turned away, face turning red as Dorothea pulled her back to look at her. She felt a wave of heat rush through her body as she saw her staring down hungrily at her, and found herself entirely unable to disagree. It would be very, very nice. “Still, with Hubie being a darling and pushing that meeting back, we do have a bit more time to spare. I know you'll probably have to get cleaned up and such, but I think we can see if the second kiss is as good as the first.”

“You know, I think you might be right.” She sucked in a breath as Edelgard smirked at her, as she watched her lower her head again and felt a hand slipping back through her hair. “I really do love you Dorothea.”

“And I you, El. And I you.”


End file.
